Thanksgiving

In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

In the past, Thanksgiving celebrated the harvest, or the food that was grown during the year. The harvest was gathered in the fall. So Thanksgiving is celebrated in the fall, too.

People celebrate Thanksgiving:

• • by spending time with family

Many people spend Thanksgiving with family. Some people travel long distances to see their families for Thanksgiving.

• • by eating a big meal

The Thanksgiving meal is one of the most important parts of Thanksgiving celebrations. People eat a big meal with many different kinds of food.

Pumpkin pie is a common Thanksgiving dessert.

Turkey is one of the most common Thanksgiving foods. Sometimes, Thanksgiving is even called "Turkey Day"!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1924. Today, millions of people go to see the parade in New York City. Many more people watch the parade on television.

The parade is famous for its huge balloons. Most of the balloons are five to six stories tall. The biggest balloons need more than 70 people to hold them!